Frontex: Joint Maritime Interdiction of Undifferentiated Flows—Operationalizing Pre-emptive Controls

Until the foundation of Frontex (and the current EBCG), operational border management was subject to limited inter-governmental cooperation between the Member States. Therefore, the introduction of a supranational structure for the coordination of control and surveillance activities constitutes a crucial development. The agency has undergone profound changes, reflected in a substantial expansion of funds, human resources, and powers since becoming operational back in 2005. This chapter analyses the structure, role, and functioning of the current European Border and Coast Guard (as Frontex is now named). Special attention is paid to joint maritime operations carried out under the auspices of the agency, either by the Member States alone or in cooperation with third countries. These activities involve the detection and interdiction of persons at sea with important ramifications for their fundamental rights related to access to protection. The impact of these initiatives on refugee flows is specifically addressed in a separate section.